Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Criminals wearing orange jackets while working in the community have been abused and jeered at by members of the public, according to study by leaders of the probation officers.

Community, church groups and at least one local council are refusing to accept placements involving offenders dressed in jackets bearing the words “Community Payback”.

You know what, mate, those people you screwed over to deserve your sentences are probably slightly more deserving of our sympathy than you. Shut the fuck up and get sweeping.

If I were in charge (and frankly you are suffering from a lot worse) I would hire this chap to be in charge of the prisons:

Arpaio set up a "Tent City" as an extension of the Maricopa County Jail. Many prisons and jails throughout the United States have used, and continue to use, tents to house inmates. Tent City is located in a yard next to a more permanent structure containing toilets, showers, an area for meals, and a day room. It has become notable particularly because of Phoenix's extreme temperatures. Daytime temperatures inside the tents have been reported as high as 150 degrees in the top bunks. During the summer, fans and water are supplied in the tents.

When Arpaio took office, inmates were routinely being released early due to overcrowding. Arpaio believed that "courts, not head count" should determine when an inmate is released, and that no officer should be deterred from making an arrest for fear that the inmate would be released due to jail overcrowding.During the summer of 2003, when outside temperatures exceeded 110 °F (43 °C), which is higher than average, Arpaio said to complaining inmates, "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and the soldiers are living in tents and they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your mouths." Inmates were given permission to wear only their pink underwear.

You're not on holiday, you're being punished. Want tea and hugs and the opportunity to blame someone else? Join the Lib Dems when you get out.